‘Awful’ Liberty crushed by Mercury

Look for payback Friday night in homestand finale

August 26, 2021 John Torenli, Sports Editor

All-Star Betnijah Laney scored 20 points, but the Liberty were buried early by the Phoenix Mercury at Barclays Center on Wednesday. AP Photo by Noah K. Murray

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Walt Hopkins isn’t in the business of mincing words.

“I thought we were awful,” the New York Liberty head coach readily ceded following his team’s embarrassing 106-79 loss to the visiting Phoenix Mercury Wednesday in front of 1,872 fans at Downtown’s Barclays Center.

It’s hard to argue Hopkins’ point.

The Liberty (11-15), clinging to one of the final two playoff spots in the WNBA playoff race, watched almost helplessly as the Mercury (14-10) raced out to a 35-17 lead after 10 minutes en route to putting up the most points ever against New York, which is now in its 25th anniversary season.

“I thought that was the worst defensive quarter I’ve ever seen us play. our energy was awful, our pride was non-existent,” Hopkins went on.

“There’s no fix for that. I’m dumbfounded by our lack of a sense of urgency. It’s really frustrating.”

It can’t be any easier for the players, who ran out to a 5-1 start after finishing with the worst record in the league in each of the previous two campaigns.

The Liberty have gone 6-14 since and find themselves percentage points in front of Dallas and Los Angeles, both 10-14 and tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the league.

Following their rough start Wednesday in the opener of this two-game series, which will conclude Friday night in the finale of this dismal 1-3 homestand, the Liberty did manage to outscore the Mercury 23-20 in the second quarter and matched them at 27 points apiece in the third period.

However, with the game on the line, Phoenix used a 24-10 run over the final 10 minutes to send New York to its third consecutive loss and sixth in the last seven games.

“We can’t have starts like that,” Hopkins lamented.

Liberty head coach Walt Hopkins is imploring his team to display more effort as they are perilously close to slipping out of the playoff race. AP Photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack

All-Star Betnijah Laney scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Sabrina Ionescu added 10 points and seven assists and Rebecca Allen finished with 12 points for the Liberty, who didn’t display the requisite effort necessary to win and seriously compete according to Hopkins.

“We’re good enough right now to win this game and the last game,” he said, referring to Sunday’s 86-83 loss to the L.A. Sparks here. “But we didn’t want it more than the other team.”

Skylar Diggins-Smith torched New York for 27 points, Brittney Griner added 26, including her third slam dunk of the campaign, and Diana Taurasi had 21 points for Phoenix, which evened its season series with the Liberty at 1-1 going into Friday.

Though they’ve shown vast improvement and flashes of brilliance during this ongoing campaign, the Liberty have to put up or shut up beginning this weekend.

Otherwise, they’ll be back on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.

“I don’t think this is about talking anymore,” Hopkins said. “They need to show up and care and try and want it more than the other team. … We can’t have starts like that.”

Or finishes like the one they appear headed for after a hope-inspiring beginning to their first full season in our fair borough.

Crystal Robinson became the seventh player inducted into the Liberty’s Ring of Honor Wednesday in Downtown Brooklyn. AP Photo by Tina Fineberg

GIVE ME LIBERTY: Liberty sharp-shooter Sami Whitcomb, who is leading the WNBA in 3-pointers made, sat out Wednesday with an ankle injury suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Sparks. She is expected to miss the next two weeks before ramping up her basketball activities for the stretch run. … Ionescu has scored at least 10 points in each of her five games since the Olympic break. … Allen has scored in double digits in each of the past four contests. … The Liberty inducted Crystal Robinson into their Ring of Honor at Barclays on Wednesday, making her the seventh former player to receive the coveted honor. Robinson spent seven seasons with the Liberty, averaging 10.7 points per contest. She also led the league with 76 3-pointers during her rookie campaign in 1999. “I can’t think of a better honor than being inducted into the Liberty Ring of Honor alongside the women I learned from and fought so hard with,” said Robinson. “I can’t thank the fans or the organization enough for rocking with a lil country kid from Oklahoma.” Robinson joined Becky Hammon, Kym Hampton, Vickie Johnson, Rebecca Lobo, Teresa Weatherspoon and Sue Wicks as Ring of Honor inductees.